Can't Ask, Don't Need, Won't Acknowledge

Chapter 2: Tentative

Wanda looked at him, “Do you promise to not tell Nat?”

Clint nodded, “I won’t tell her but eventually you will need to tell her.”

Wanda took a slow sip of her black coffee, “She is already incredibly overbearing, she will be horrendous.”

Clint smirked, “so you are not 19 then.”

Wanda rolled her eyes at him, “yeah but you already knew that.”

She may have been being sarcastic, but even saying the words was a slight relief to her. Clint reached across the table and grabbed her free hand the one that was not clutching the coffee cup tightly.

“I’m 16 next week,” she stated shortly looking away from the older man, she couldn’t bear to see his expression.

Clint looked slightly dumbstruck, “You are 15….I mean I thought you were young. But you really are a baby.”

“Clint not helping!” moaned Wanda.

Clint lifted his mug back up and took another slow gulp, “You should really be in school.”

Wanda snorted in response, “yeah right Clint. I haven’t been to school in years, not since Stark blew up my last one.”

“Natasha will insist on it.”

“Well it’s a good thing Natasha doesn’t know,” replied Wanda with a pointed glare at the man.

Clint held his hands up, “look I promised I wouldn’t tell, but you need to tell her…”

They sat in comfortable silence for the moment, Wanda just enjoyed being around him.

“Age is just a number,” she continued. Clint snorted slightly, “it is but you my little witch are not even legally an adult. Where you ever legally emancipated?”

Wanda looked at him in confusion, her English was pretty good but the occasional word still caught her out.

“emancipated?”

“As in you went to the courts and determined you did not need a parent or guardian,” explained Clint gently.

Wanda snorted, “courts?” she responded sardonically, “Stark’s bombs decided I did not need parents.”

Clint didn’t really no what to say to that statement. He just awkwardly looked away.

“Is that what I need to do here then?” asked Wanda breaking the tension, “because I can do that.”

Clink shook his head, “Natasha wouldn’t let you do that, and neither would I,” stated Clint in a rare showing of sternness with the young witch. He was still a little surprised by her actual age, he had suspected that she was shy of 18. There was a big difference between being 18 and 15. Wanda narrowed her eyes at the man, “You are not in a position to tell me what I can and can’t do.”

Clint just took another thoughtful sip of his coffee, “you are a minor Wanda. In this country you are still a kid.”

“Yes but everyone thinks I’m 19, so that is not a problem is it Clint?” asked Wanda with a dangerous lilt to her voice.